The goal of this project is to develop a series of video-based instructional programs designed to help foster parents become effective teachers of independent living skills with their foster teenagers. The completed programming will cover a wide range of areas, including money management; job skills and career planning; educational planning; legal skills; transportation and travel; interpersonal and social skills; conflict resolution; decision-making skills; consumerism; and housekeeping skills. In Phase I, Northwest Media will produce two 30-minute video programs that use studio and docudrama video formats. The first program will orient foster parents to their roles as teachers of independent living skills and provide them with a set of basic behavior management skills to facilitate instruction; the second program will focus specifically on applications relating to kitchen skills. A randomized control study will be conducted with 130 foster parents in Oregon to assess the impact of the training program on foster parents' involvement in teaching independent living skills and their efficacy as teachers. In Phase II the programming series will be completed and expanded for use on interactive video. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Foster teenagers are in urgent need of educational activities and materials to help prepare them for independent living. States are mandated to these services but most programs are very limited in scope and outreach. Foster parents can play a crucial role by working with their teens at home. Materials are needed to help guide foster parents in this teaching process. Materials need to encompass a range of subjects, and bring a culturally diverse youth perspective to the instructural content.